Meeting Agenda April 2026

OUGHTERSIDE AND ALLERBY PARISH COUNCIL

The minutes of Oughterside and Allerby Parish Council meeting

held on Tuesday 14^th April 2026 commencing at 7.00pm.

Chair declared the meeting open at 7.00pm.

Present: Cllrs, chair, Lyndsey Preston-Miller, Gladys Hunter (vice-chair), Pam Marriot, Gary Bolton, Julie Gingell.

Cumberland Councillor. Cllr Martin Harris.

Clerk: Mike Milner.  No members of the public.

603.00 Apologies. Cumberland Unitary Councillor Martin Harris.

604.00 Declaration of interests: none

605.00 To read and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday 10^th February 2026.

605.01 Resolved to approve the minutes as a true and accurate record by those who were present at that meeting.

606.00 Public Participation/open session.

606.01 no members of the public and no reports from clerk.

607.00 Police Matters.

607.01 clerk confirmed police e newsletter duly circulated. Clerk had also received notification of the next police Teams meeting to be held 10^th June. He also advised that police were concerned that when operating the new speed camera, from social media posts, public failed to realise the new system issues automatically the penalty notice to vehicle owner via the post, so no traffic stopped and also operative has to hand hold the small control system. Police operative is not on their phone but operating the speed gun. Last session on 26^th March, the officer had stopped counting vehicles caught speeding after four.

608.00 Matters concerning Cumberland Councillor.

608.01 Cllr Martin Harris, not present, his report, circulated was taken as read.

609.00 Applications for development. None to consider or reports.

610.00 New Parish Noticeboards, planning authority confirms allowed under permitted development. Highways approve locations with appropriate paper work signed off. Next actions for parish council.

610.01 clerk confirmed that he had received an email of confirmation from the planning authority that parish council noticeboards are permitted development, and had supplied the relevant copy of legislation.

610.02 clerk pointed out that he would though have to gain permission from Highways or in the case of the board on the A596, Connect Highways. Discussion about the location of the new boards. Obviously one at Allerby to replace the existing, clerk to get Highways approval. The second board opposite the school is to be repositioned on the corner by the seat, to the right of the seat when viewed from the road. Clerk would have to obtain Highways permission for that board’s location, as verge is Cumberland Council property.

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610.03 clerk then advised that the third currently board is located opposite the Miners Arms. The parish council will need Connect Highways approval and they were not keen on new or replacement street furniture on their verges or pavements unless for traffic signs. Clerk passed the observation that the display was constantly filthy from passing traffic in wet conditions. He suggested that perhaps it could be repositioned in the bus shelter that the parish council owned further down the road. Cllrs were concerned about it not being clearlt visible and possibly subject to vandalism.

610.04 Cllrs considered options and decided that to relocate it on the edge of the Pond Green play area, parish council land, would require no permission, council land and easily accessible for residents and its viewing panel would not be subject to constant traffic spray. Clerk will get quotations for installation costs, and seek Highways approval for the Arkleby road location by the school.

610.05 clerk to consider removal of existing noticeboards.

611.00 New fencing inside Oughterside playing field opposite school entrance.

611.01 clerk advised that this safety fence had been mentioned at the last meeting, however he was seeking parish council’s approval to instruct a fencing contractor to replace the current short section of timber safety fence, which stopped children being able to run straight out of the field into the road.

611.02 Cllrs resolved to approve the clerk make the appropriate arrangements to replace the fence.

612.00 Great Crested Newt location and consequences for planning applications.

612.01 clerk advised that he had included this on the agenda as he had been made aware of the reported nesting sites. A planning application on land adjacent to Osborne Place could be affected by the report. However, what he wanted to stress to Cllrs was this was not a parish council responsibility, allow the appropriate departments of Cumberland Council including the planning department to manage all such claims and clarify if necessary.

613.00 Request to Tivoli for tree audit and repair to the timber play bridge in Oughterside play area opposite school.

613.01 clerk confirmed that he noted that the tree had been removed from the Oughterside playing field and that he had requested a tree audit. This would cover the Oughterside playing field and also the trees on the Pond Green play area. As soon as he received it he would circulate to all Cllrs. With regard the play bridge in Oughterside playing field, clerk had purchased the appropriate length nut and bolt and done half the repair, unfortunately he had not taken a box spanner as nut tightens into a recess and a saw to cut off any protrusion. Clerk to complete when placing draft minutes in the noticeboards.

614.00 Litter pick, update, Cllr Pam Marriot.

614.01 Cllr P.M advised that she had obtained from Cumberland Street Clean Team litter pickers and other equipment. After a discussion Cllrs all agreed the first priority should be that they undertake a litter pick and then mention in the next INSIDE that local residents could organise a pick and perhaps suggest that locals looked after their immediate local property area.

615.00 Progress reports, clerk.

615.01 clerk started by advising that he had delved back into the box of old paperwork he was provided with back in 2016 and he held up a document file dated 14^th July 2004, a Tree Preservation Order No 15 of 2004, and it had a specification of all the trees that were alongside the Salterwath Beck and had been subject to recent discussions at the parish council.

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Fifteen trees in total were subject to the TPO, but more importantly they are described at located on land to the rear of Meadow Fauld, Oughterside. There was a map attached clearly showing the locations. In the bundle of documents was also a document granting work requested on 21/7/2014 and granted on 26/8/2024 to 6 sycamore and 1 alder tree, for branch removal and crown reduction.

615.02 The Allerdale document granting the reduction by 6m in height was directed to the owner of 3 Salterwath Close, therefore it was obviously assumed at that that time in 2014, the trees were that properties responsibility. The timber fence was clearly visible in the picture attached to the letter.

615.03 clerk had written a personal apology to the Allerby resident who was running the London Marathon for not producing the Spring INSIDE to promote his challenge, but events had overtaken the newsletter being compiled. Resident had responded acknowledging okay.

615.04 bolt for repairing Oughterside play bridge coat £8.63p, Playdale repair kit for the entire equipment would have cost over £500 as per their website.

616.00 Councillors reports.

616.01 Cllr P.M noted that workmen were doing work in and around the sewage works and enquired if anyone knew what it was about? Chair Cllr L.P-M advised that UU were also working at Allerby sewage works. Clerk would contact his UU contact who had mentioned that there was to be work in the parish.

616.02 Cllr J.G asked why other parishes had SID’s appear but not O&A. Cllr P.M confirmed that mobile SID’s were available and clerk confirmed they had been promised for 4 years. Cumberland Cllr M.H did allude to them in his circulated report.

616.03 Cllr G.B advised a local had noted Highways had not cut the verge from Beech Hill to Oughterside. Clerk confirmed that CC were embracing wild meadows and wildlife and that involved reduced verge cutting, unless at busy junctions where they tried to maintain safe splay vision for safety. Embracing wildlife as Cllr G.B noted was a new definition of cost cutting.

616.04 Cllr P.M had bought a floral contribution for the parish, could she recover her £13.98. Cllrs unanimously approved her reimbursement and the receipt with bank details were provided to the clerk.

617.00 Correspondence.

617.01 clerk had been advised that chickens were on the Pond Green play area, have been sighted over the past couple of weeks, photos and video supplied. Clerk has contacted Environmental Health for their opinion, it being a children’s play area. Dogs banned. There should be no access from properties that back on to the play area, via gates, but initially seeking EH guidance on the chicken issue, before resolving the access issue.

617.02 Invoice received from Tivoli for tree removal Oughterside play area £149.10.

617.03 Various email exchanges with original parish website designer, all handed over to Macintosh Electronics.

617.04 Correspondence about tree audit see 613.00 these minutes.

617.05 External auditors had provided all instructions and paperwork for 2025/6 audit.

617.06 Local resident had forwarded picture of fly tipping along Pit Lonning; resident had actually collected the two black sacks and appropriately disposed of the rubbish.

617.07 clerk had received the annual parish insurance documentation from the Zurich Insurance company. He advised premium this year £992.00, the council had budgeted for £810.00, but all business news reports had indicated recently increase in insurance.

617.08 a dumped van at Beech Hill reported to the police, who had forwarded to the Enforcement Team, their responsibility.

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618.00 Payments for approval.

M Milner Intpay 387, £480.69, salary £414.34, £66.35 expenses.

HMRC Intpay 388, HMRC £103.40, PAYE.

Tivoli, Intpay 389, £149.10, tree removal Oughterside playing field.

Calc, Interpay 399, £241.26, annual subs. (476 registered voters in parish)

Zurich Insurance, Interpay 400, £992.90, annual parish council insurance premium.

Cllr Pam Marriot, Interpay 401, £13.98, parish floral contribution.

All Payments approved.

Meeting closed 7.59pm.

619.00 Date and time of next meeting Tuesday 12^th May 2026 at 7.00pm at Prospect village hall.

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